Asbestos: A Natural Mineral with Devastating Impacts

Asbestos is a natural mineral that has been used for industrial, commercial, and domestic products. Occupational exposure is a leading cause of asbestos-related illness. Those who are most vulnerable are workers in manual and skilled trades, including construction, factories, and shipyards. Asbestos is known for being resistant to heat, fire, and chemical corrosion. When a person is exposed to asbestos, fibers may be breathed in or swallowed and can wreak havoc on the internal body system and organs over time.

If you are concerned about exposure to asbestos or were recently diagnosed with a related illness, reach out to an attorney without delay. He or she can consult with you more in-depth and help you decide whether taking legal action is right for you.

Where Asbestos Can Be Found

While a significant number of people who were diagnosed with an asbestos-related illness had been around it because of their occupation, other people can be exposed as well. Home or commercial renovation and remodeling can be hazardous too, as several common building materials contain asbestos as an ingredient. If products made with asbestos are cut, broken, drilled into, sanded, or otherwise manipulated, fibers can circulate through the air. Most people at one point or another during their lifetime may become briefly exposed to asbestos. However, these short exposures of very small amounts rarely lead to medical problems.

Microscopic Fibers

Asbestos fibers cannot be readily seen with the naked eye. When a product or material is made with asbestos and is disturbed or becomes damaged, tiny asbestos fibers can radiate through the air for several hours. The human body cannot easily push out these asbestos fibers, so what often happens is that it slowly accumulates within the body over the course of time with repeated exposure.

There is no amount of asbestos that is viewed as being safe. Many people may be tricked into thinking their exposure isn’t harmful, because onset of symptoms doesn’t happen right away. In fact, even after a person has stopped working around asbestos material, the impacts of prior exposure can pop up several decades later. If you feel as though your employer was misleading about your asbestos exposure in the workplace, it may be time to file a lawsuit with help from an experienced attorney. 

Protecting Loved Ones from Exposure

Those who work in career fields that entail some exposure to asbestos can help protect themselves and loved ones from devastating future impacts. Employees can hold their employers accountable for providing necessary equipment and enforcing workplace safety protocols. To prevent bringing home asbestos, clothing and shoes worn for work must stay at and only be cleaned at the job site.

An experienced personal injury lawyer has witnessed the devastating impacts of asbestos exposure. If you are interested in taking action for the wrongful exposure, an attorney, like a personal injury attorney from Yearin Law Office, can offer legal counsel. Don’t wait. You deserve restitution for what you have endured. A lawyer can implement strategy and give advice on how to gather the strongest elements of evidence for your lawsuit. Reach out today to get started.